​'If even the press is not safe, who is?': Journalist bodies slam Delhi police over Jantar Mantar assault

By A Representative 

Major journalist bodies, including the Delhi Union of Journalists, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (Delhi Unit), and the Indian Women's Press Corps, have issued sharp condemnations over the alleged sexual harassment of a woman journalist by a senior Delhi Police officer during protests at Jantar Mantar. The incident, which occurred while media professionals were covering demonstrations, has triggered widespread outrage and renewed concerns regarding the safety of media workers and the protection of press freedom in the national capital.

According to statements released by the press associations, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat stands accused of inappropriately grabbing a young journalist's body and fleeing the scene when confronted. Video footage capturing aspects of the incident has circulated widely across social media platforms. Despite the victim spending multiple days attempting to file a formal complaint, the Delhi Police have faced heavy criticism for failing to register an First Information Report regarding the assault. The Indian Women's Press Corps emphasized that this delay reflects poorly on law enforcement agencies tasked with maintaining public safety in the capital.

​The controversy has also drawn intense scrutiny toward the broader handling of public demonstrations and media personnel by law enforcement. Protesters and reporters alike faced severe restrictions, with authorities prohibiting gatherings at the designated Jantar Mantar site and subjecting journalists to harassment and open threats. Media organizations highlighted instances where officers demanded Press Information Bureau identity cards from reporters, a requirement unions describe as absurd given that such cards are primarily restricted to senior journalists covering Parliament and government ministries, leaving city reporters and independent journalists vulnerable.

​Journalist unions have framed these events as part of a disturbing pattern of escalating hostility against the press, recalling previous incidents such as the detention and assault of two women journalists at the Saket police station. Expressing deep concern over a growing sense of lawlessness and lack of institutional accountability within the police force, the unions have demanded an immediate, impartial judicial inquiry into the attacks on media professionals, alongside the urgent registration of an FIR against the accused officer.